The 1841 - 42 tithe map
of the Pontyclun/Miskin area shows just 30 farms ranging
from 20 to 200 acres in size, a corn mill and small cottages
at River Row. Compare this with the situation today where
we only find 5 working farms left in the same area. The
name Pontyclun has only been in official use since 1893
and prior to that the area was known as Pont Clown or Pont
y Clown, which is said to indicate that the river was shrouded
with trees and undergrowth. Earlier records give an assortment
of names including 'Cloune' and 'Clune'. All these were
possibly influenced by the name of the River Clun, which
flows in a loop around the area.
It was the influx of workers for the iron ore and coal
industry together with the coming of the railway during the
1850's that changed the area for all time. The Coedcae Colliery
(first listed in 1856) and the Bute iron ore mine (which
opened in October 1852) were the catalyst for the population
growth. By 1871, the census returns record an influx of Cornish
miners who had suffered from the collapse of the copper mining
industry in Cornwall.
Left: Cowbridge Road Pontyclun circa 1900
This large growth of English speakers
to the area had a real impact on the local population of
Welsh speakers and effectively 'killed off' Welsh as a
language over quite a short period. By 1870 the industries
of the area had been expanded by the coming of the Ely
Tin Plate Works, The Pipe Works and The Steam Joinery Company.The
needs of the workforce brought about the building of School
Street and Llantrisant Road which were among some of the
earliest houses in the area, along with National School
built in School Street, c. 1878, Bethel Baptist Chapel
(c. 1876) and public houses such as the Bute Hotel and
the Windsor Arms.
The early years of the 20th century saw the building of
Pontyclun Institute (1910) to enrich the cultural and social
lives of the growing population. By the late 1950's the Institute
had fallen on lean times and a was decision was taken to
rename it the Pontyclun Athletic Club, which would cater
for soccer, rugby and cricket.
Pontyclun continues to prosper despite the closure of the pits and ore workings,
which had a drastic effect on the area. The start of 'out of town' shopping
areas has brought Pontyclun back to life again with retail premises being the
main employer now. Commuting to Cardiff and the Vale has also made Pontyclun
the ideal location so housing has expanded as a result.
Left: Young workers at the Tin Plate Works
circa 1904
CROWN BREWERY PONTYCLUN
The South Wales & Monmouth United Clubs
Brewery Co. Ltd. purchased the small family brewery owned
by D & T Davies in 1919. This Company had been formed
to supply the expanding number of Workingmen's Clubs, which
were having difficulties with supply of beer from the many
local breweries throughout the area. The Sunday Closing (Wales)
Act of 1881 had fuelled the expanding number of clubs that
did not have to close on Sunday, as was the case with public
houses. Capital for the venture was raised from the issue
of shares, which funded the purchase of the brewery for £25,000.
In the first year the brewery was producing 200 barrels of
'Club Pale Ale' per week. The head brewery at that time was
Captain Rogers who had served as a cavalry officer during
the Boar War.
By 1936 the brewery was producing 500 barrels per week,
which continued to increase to 900 in 1938. This growth was
halted by the outbreak of war in 1939 but when the war ended
in 1945 the growth took off again. By 1954 the old brewery
had been replaced by a completely new building that was big
enough to produce the 1200 barrels per week that the clubs
demanded at that time. In 1984 Bob Smith was head brewer
for the company and was only the fifth in the 65 years the
company had been trading. In 1988 Crown merged with Wales's
oldest brewery, Buckley's of Llanelly to form the Crown Buckley
Brewery but then after 80 years of trading, the brewery closed
in the Spring of 1999.
